My weight loss story

Good Morning! Hope everyone is doing well despite this crummy weather. In case you were wondering.... no, this is not Dr. Posner. I think the bad weather got the best of him and he asked me, his trusty physician assistant, to write today's blog. A task that I gladly accepted.

I wanted to use this opportunity to tell you a little bit about my weight loss journey. As some of you already know, I had my daughter Elana 10 months ago. Before I got pregnant I weighed 130lbs, which was about 5lb more than I liked to be for my 5'2" stature. During the first trimester of my pregnancy I made the huge mistake of eating a lot of carbohydrate-laden foods... Eggos and marshmallows were my favorite.... to counteract the fatigue and nausea associated with early pregnancy. By the end of the first 12 weeks I had gained 15 lbs. During my second trimester I wised up and started doing a little research on nutrition during pregnancy and discovered that while my body craved carbs, what I needed was more protein. In conjunction with the nutritional counseling I received through my natural birthing classes, I managed to gain very little weight my second trimester. However, my appetite picked up again at the end of the pregnancy and along with the tremendous amount of edema associated with my pre-eclampsia I weighed 185 1bs on the day of Elana's delivery.

So there I was after my delivery with a beautiful baby, who only weighed 5 lb and 9.5 oz to my dismay, and a very swollen and not so beautiful me. I was very happy when I saw the first 15 lbs come off within 2 weeks, though most of it was water. Then I got serious about eating healthy, not only for me but for my baby since I was breast-feeding. I went back to the pregnancy diet that I was given at the birthing classes, which was a high-protein regimen with lots of green leafy vegetables and fruits. I quickly began to feel more energized and I started losing weight steadily. I returned for my 6-week follow-up and was cleared for exercise... yeah! I had already been walking for a few weeks, but started doing more intensive aerobic activity with light weight/resistance training. Things were going well! Elana was doing great, breast-feeding was a breeze, and I was getting into the groove of being an active new mother. By my 30th birthday in February I was down to 150 lbs... having lost 35 lbs in 2 1/2 months.

Then it was time to think about going back to work in early March. I was set to return to my old job, but some things had changed in my absence that were going to make juggling motherhood and my career very stressful and difficult. So I started looking for a new position, and saw Dr. Posner's ad for a PA, which I promptly responded to.... and one week later had a new job at an exciting internal medicine/weight loss practice. I was so grateful to have the opportunity to help my patients with their own weight loss efforts, while I continued with my own. Once I started working at the practice, I had all the information I needed at my fingertips. I was on the right track before, but the nutritional counseling provided through Serotonin Plus was just what I needed. Since I was still breast-feeding, I had to stick with my own version of Phase 2 1/2 and had to forego medications.... but it worked. By Easter I was down to 140 lbs, and my sister-in-law told me that she hated me for have such a "sweet baby girl that doesn't cry" and losing my "baby fat". I was pleased!

Eventually... like we all do.. I hit a plateau at about 135lb. I knew that meant I had to step it up a notch. Elana was 6-months old and done with breast-feeding, so I started Phase I and running. Let me give you some history.... I avoided running when I played lacrosse in college by volunteering to be the goalie... meaning I hated it so much I let people hurl hard rubber balls at me! However, something changed after a friend gave me a running stroller for my long walks with Elana.... and I started running. I found that I enjoyed running a lot and it was a great way to get rid of stress. In addition, each time I went for a run with Elana, it got easier and easier and the weight loss was very encouraging. I decided I was going to run a race ... a 4-miler in Ashburn at the end of June.. and I did! At the end of the race I was exhausted, but felt great! I did it, and my family including Elana was there to cheer me on!

I have continued to run with and without the stroller... having completed a 10K and 5K since. I actually placed third for my age group in the 5K... which is big accomplishment for a "beer-drinking" girl from Pittsburgh that was 185 lbs nine months prior. I am set to run a 1/2 marathon on November 8th and just signed up for a full marathon in March! I still can't believe I'm going to do that! My current weight is 121 lbs, which is a little more than what I weighed when I graduated high school in 1997. However, I am in the best shape of my life... thanks to the Serotonin Plus program and the support of my family.

So my journey coutinues.... I continue to see patients lose weight and enjoy helping them with their journeys. I continue to be constantly energized by the success stories I see "day in and day out" with our program. Working with all of you has made it very easy for me to maintain focus, despite everyday challenges. Thank You for sharing your stories with me at your weekly visits, and allowing me the opportunity to share my story with you!

Sincerely,

Donna L. Eckenrode, PA-C